Cyclosporine

ATHERAPEUTIC attack on the immune system is initiated in anticipation of or in response to immunologically mediated tissue damage. Drug regimens seek to inhibit selectively the T-cell and B-cell elements that permit adaptive, specific recognition of pathogenic, alien molecules and organisms while sparing the nonspecific granulocyte, monocyte, and macrophage elements that are responsible for phagocytosis, digestion, and metabolism of foreign materials. The prototype immunosuppressive drugs — azathioprine and adrenal corticosteroids — inhibit cell division of and cytokine generation by all elements of the immune system, respectively. In contradistinction, the immunosuppressive agent cyclosporine selectively inhibits adaptive immune responses. In spite of . . .